Electric time-register



um Model.) Y a'sheets-neet 1. J. F. KETTELL.

Electric Time Register.

No. 237,753. Patented Feb.'15,'v1881.

Fig. 1.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. F. KBTTELL. Eleetrie Time Register.

Patented Feb. 15,1881'.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. F. KETTELL. Electric Time Register. No. 237,753. Patented Feb. 15,1881.

MPEYQRS. PHOTD-LTHOGRAPHER WASH nGToN u C UNITED ASTATES PATENT Ori-rica..

JAMES F. KETTELL, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC TIME-REGISTER.Y

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,753, dated February 15, 1881.

Application filed April 3, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES F. KETTELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Registering- Clocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation of a device embodying the registering or recording part of my invention arranged within a box or case; and Fig. 2, a sectional view of the same, the box being turned around end for end, and taken through the line a: fr of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing a top-plan view of the register or recorder. Fig. 3 represents a detail view of the registering-clock, and shows the method of connecting the winding-drum therewith by means of an intermediate arbor and pinion. Fig. 4 represents a central vertical section of the drum or spool from which the paper fillet or ribbon is unwound. Fig. 5 represents a plan view of one of the devices for opening and closing and locking the electric circuit; andFig. 6 represents end elevationsof the same, showing, respectively, the circuit broken and closed at one of the registering-points. Fig. 7 represents a sectional view of a building, and illustrates the arrangement of my invention.

My invention relates to that class of watchmens time-detecters in which a time-movement or clock is made the means, by his own act, of registering the time or times at which the watchman is in the different parts or rooms of the building under his charge, and more especially to that class in which the time-piece is fixed or stationary either in the office or the store, or such other place as may be determined upon.

My invention consists in combining an electro-magnet and its armature provided with a sharp point, a stationary clock or time-piece carrying a strip of paper unwound from a fric- (No model tion-drum, constructed with a series of circumferential pockets, loaded and operating in the manner hereinafter set forth, on which strip of paper time-division marks are marked or impressed, by means of which, on passing a current of electricity through the electromagnet, it attracts the armature which carries the pointed rod and causes it to puncture the paper, and which, being' carried on a drum rotated by the winding-arbor through an intermediate arbor and pinion, or, if desired, the arbor of the hour or minute hand of the timepiece, thereby registers the time at which the mechanism was operated.

It also consists in combining two or more sets, according to the number of stories or rooms to be watched, of these electric devices and the ordinary push buttons or keys for closing the circuits with a single stationary time-piece, and with a strip or tillet of paper unwound from a friction-drum, constructed with a series of circumferential pockets, loaded and operating in the manner hereinafter set forth, on which strip of paper are marked time-divisions indicative of the hours, die., and of such a width as will provide space for all, and which maybe ruled lengthwise, so as to divide it into as many parts as there are sets of these devices-t. e., one longitudinal divisional space or part for each set-that each set may only perforate that part of the strip allotted to it, and thus record, by the puncture each makes on the paper fillet, the exact time according to that clock at which the punctures were made in the various divisional parts of the fillet of paper, and which correspond to the diii'erent stories or rooms from which the puncturin g was effected.

It further consists in combining with one electro-magnet and armature provided with a puncturing-point and a time-movement carrying` a paper fillet or ribbon, a device or series of devices located in different parts of a building for closing the circuit to excite the electromagnet, and which devices are so constructed that the circuit can only be closed at one of these points, respectively, at stated intervals of time.

It also further consists in adruin constructed with a series of radial pockets in its circumference, and which are loaded in such a man- IOO ner that there will constantly be a force to be overcome when revolving in the proper direction, thereby producing a friction-drum.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my improvement, I-will describe its parts in detail.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a box or case inclosing a time-movement or clock, B, of ordinary construction.

is a drum, rotated by the winding-arbor ofthe time-piece through an intermediate shaft and pinion, on which it is mounted and rmly secured 5 or the arbor of the hour or minute hand of the clock, as may be deemed best, may be made to rotate the drum C; but I prefer the former construction, and which is fully shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this figure H represents the winding-arbor, to which is atl tached its tooth-wheel J for imparting motion to the train of gears of the clock. This wheel meshes with the pinion J of tharbor K, upon which is mounted said drum C. For very great exactness the arbor which ordinarily carries the minute-hand would be best; but for all practical purposes the winding-arbor with an intermediate arbor and pinion, or the arbor that ordinarily carries the hour-hand, will sufce, as, by making the drum C of sufficient size or diameter, all requisite exactness can not only be obtained, but in this way a simpler movement will answer, as it enables me to dis-` pense with the gears which ordinarily operate the minute-hand.

On a standard, D, arranged atl one side of the clock-movement, and rigidly secured to one of the sides E of the case A, is mounted another spool or drum, F, on which is wound a roll or iillet of blank and unpunctured paper,

` G. The free end of this roll G is then passed around an arm, a, secured to the clock-frame, and from thence is led to the drum C, where it is firmly secured or clamped to the latter, as

`by a spring-bar, I).

The hollow tension-spool F is constructed with a series of radial pockets arranged within its circumference, as shown in Fig. 4l of the drawings, and is closed at its sides. this'spool or drum is placed a quantity of shot, f', or any other material or liquid suitable for the purpose having a high specific gravity. When loaded in this manner and the wheel made to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. et, each pocket ofthe drum, as it passes the lowest point in its revolution, becomes loaded, and will remain so until each pocket has performed about half a revolution, upon which each pocket, gradually becoming inverted, discharges its load, which falls into the lower inner periphery of the drum, to be again carried up by the other pockets of the series. Thus constructed and operating, all the pockets of the series passing from a lower to a higher point at a given time in the revolution of the drum are loaded, and those passing from a higher to a lower point are empty, thereby giving a difference in weight to the Within l opposite horizontal sides of the axis, which difference has to be overcome, and consequently an increased tension is given to the drum. This mode of constructing and mounting spool F, 7o

while leaving it free to turn by the drag on the paper, yet prevents it from turning freely, and thereby keeps a steady pull or strain on the paper between the drum (l and spool F.

Thus constructed and arranged, it will be apparent that as the drum G moves by the turningof its arbor the paper llet G will be correspondingly drawn from the spool Hence, if the iillet of paper be provided with lines drawn transversely across the line of its length, and 8o at such distance apart as to correspond to the hour-lines of the drum, and marked with iigures indicating these-say from l to 12-and,if desired, with sublines of a liner character, corresponding to every quarter of an hour, or, if 8 5 greater nicety is required, to every five minutes of the hour, and the paper be punctured at any time at a suitable point during its progress from spool F to drum C, it will be apparent that the puncture will thus indicate, by the 9o lines between which it is made, the time at vwhich the puncture was made, the paper for this purpose being arranged at the point of puncturin g with respect to its hour and minute markings to correspond with the same hour and 9 5 minute at which the clock was started. In other words, when the apparatus is set in motion, at, for example, say seven oclock, then the line on the paper fillet G which corresponds with that hour--to wit, the line marked VII or 7-is roo brought immediately opposite the puncturin gpoint, after which all the hour-line markings on the paper in the movement of the latter. will correspond to the movement of the drum G of the clock, inasmuch as the spaces between the markings are made to correspond in length with the peripheral progress made by the drum in a given time-t'. e., if the drum makes one revolution in twelve hours, it would for each hour perform the twelfth part of a revor 1o lution 5 hence the paper would be divided into spaces the length of each of which would be equal to the twelfth part of one whole peripheral revolution of the drum, and, if desired,

they may be further divided into any proportionate part thereof.v On each of the divisionlines as thus made is marked the hours-say from l to 12-in consecutive order; and, if desired, each of those spaces included between the adjacent hour-lines, as before stated, may 12o be subdivided so as to indicate fractional parts of an hour-as, for instance, into the fourth,

sixth, or twelfth part of an hour. Ordinarily I prefer to subdivide them into four parts, so

In order that the paper Gr may pass freely 13o from the spool F to drum C without danger of rupture, the stud a, over which it passes, may,

if desired, be made halt-round, or its edge rounded. The main object of this standard, however, is to provide a support for the paper at the point which is to be punctured. For this purpose an opening, e, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) of suitable size is made through the bar a, for the reception of the point ot' the pricker or needle f that eicects the punctnring.

Needle or pricker fis formed on or otherwise secured to the end of a lever, I, attached to the end of the armature L, which is pivoted at c to the projecting arm c', and is provided with the retractin g-sprin g l and adjustingscrew g.

M is an electro-magnet of the usual construction, and having the line-wires N O connected with a battery, (not shown,) and provided with an ordinary telegraphic key or push-button at the point to be registered from for the purpose of opening and closing the circuit at that point, and thereby attracting the armature E and operating-lever I of the magnet IWI, and with its point f prick the paper at the point indicative of the hour or fraction ot` the hour at which it is made. Where but, say, three or four points are to be registered from it is found desirable to provide box A with a corresponding' number of magnets, armatures, and puucturing-levers, arranged side by side, so that each registering-point may have an independent line-wire magnet, armature, and puncturing-point, but perforating the same strip of paper, and at different zones of its width, the opening and closing ofthe different circuits each being accomplished by a simple push-button. This arrangement ot' the magnets is indicated in Fig. 2, where a series of two magnets are shown with their respective armatures and levers arranged side by side, one of them being shown in dotted lines, and in Fig. 7, which shows the push-buttons located in differentstories ot' a building, each button or key and magnet having an independent line-wire running from said button to the registering-instrument A, containing the series of magnets. But where a greater number ot' points are to be registered from it is found desirable to use only one electro-magnet and the device P (shown in Figs. 5 and 6) employed to open and close the circuit at the different points desired to be registered from in the line-wire, one of these devices P being located at each registering-point. After the watchman has once closed the circuit at one of these points P, and thereby registering from that point at that time, and which registering is correspondingly indicated by a puncture in the ribbon between the lines allotted to that division of time, he is prevented from repeating or operating it again until the train of gears of the time-piece Q of the device P has run any stated timesay thirty minuteswhen the device is again in position to be operated. This device P for closing and opening and locking the different points in the circuit is constructed as follows: Q represents a time-piece or clock of ordinary construction, the winding-arbor ot' which is provided with the lever R and the projection S, which vibrates between the stops s s, so as to limit the swing of the lever R. To the stem of the winding-arbor is attached the knob T, for winding the movement and also for operating lever It. U is a key or circuit-closer of ordinary construction, having the spring-key V and wire N leading therefrom to one pole of the electro-magnet M, and the anvil W and wire O leading therefrom to the other pole ot' the magnet. X is a bifurcated lever, pivoted at one end to the plate Y, which is properly insulated, the one arm, ot which lever assuming a horizontal position, and the other arm, x', assuming a vertical position, or nearly so, when said lever is in its normal position.

The operation is as follows: Then it is desired to close the circuit the knob T is turned (and which movement also winds the clock) so as to bring' the outer end of lever R to bear against the arm x of bifurcated lever X. The lever still continuingto advance,it t'orces down the arm and consequently the arm of lever X. The latter arm being in contact with key U, it presses the key down upon its anvil W, and thus establishes metallic communication or connection in the line-wire, and moving` the armature ot' the magnet M and its puncturing-point. and thereby registering from that point at the line at which the circuitwas closed. The arm :c is made ot' such length as will admit of the lever Pt, at the same moment the circuit is closed, passing over said arm, upon which the spring-key V will instantaneonsly throw up the bifurcated lever X, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6, and thus break the electric circuit. ln this position it is impossible to be registered from again until the clock has run down7 sniciently to allow ot the lever R again passing' over and above the arm x, when the device is again in position to be operated. The other devices ofthe series, at their respective points, are so arranged that they will admit ot' being operated at different times with respect to each other, the object ot' which will be apparent, as it necessitates the watchmans going from one device to another in order to register at thedi'erent stated times or intervals in which they can be operated, and thus prevents him from remaining at one registering-point and repeating through that instrument as often as he is required to register.

The recording-instrument A and also the device P for closing the circuit are each contained in a locked box of any suitable construction, so that they cannot be tampered with by the watchman or other unauthorized person, and which may be provided with glass transparencies or windows, by means ot' which they can be inspected, or the boxes may be unlocked by the proper person to see it' the watchman has properly attended to his duties.

In Fig'. 7 is represented a building ot' three IOO IOS

IIO

stories, and illustrates the arrangement of my invention, the recording-instrument being contained in a locked box, A, in the lower story. l, 2, and 3 represent push-buttons for closing the circuit, conveniently located in the different stories of the building, each being connected by the necessary wires and batteries for establishing the circuits. Each of these circuits, of which there is one for each story, is connected with a separate electro-magnet and operates a separate puncturing-lever. All, however, make their punctures in the same strip of paper, but each in a separate plane or division, so that the punctures made by each may be readily distinguished the one from the other, that the instrument may show when and from what part of the building each puncture was made. By this arrangement every time one ofthe puncturing-levers is operated (and they can only be operated from the story with which, through their respective circuits, they communicate) it will puncture the paper in the plane-or division allotted to it and between the transverse lines which indicate the exact time at which it is was punctured. Or, instead of using a series of magnets and independent circuits with a push button or key for closing each circuit, only one magnet may be employed in the box A, with its armature and puncturing-point, and its line-wire carried to the different parts of the building and broken at the desired points to be registered from by the device P for breaking the circuit, and operating in the manner hereinbefore set forth. One of these devices P may, if desired, be located Within the box A of the recorder, with suitable connections, and having the knob T extending therefrom, and thus form a registering-point for the same story or compartment in which the box A is located, or where a magnet or series of magnets areused, with push-buttons for closing the circuits. Oneof these circuits might be arranged within the box, `with its push-button arranged to be operated from the outside of the box for the same purpose.

-A pencil may be substituted for the puncturing-point f.

Having described my invention,what I claim is 1. The strip of paperor ribbon G carried by the drums C and F, the former being mounted upon a clock and rotated by its winding-arbor, and the 'latter constructed with circumferential pockets and loaded, as described, the strip being arranged to be perforated or marked at a point in its progress between the Y drums and between the division-lines of the strip corresponding to the times registered by a point carried by the armature of an electro-magnet, M, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The strip of paper or ribbon G carried by the drums C and F, the former being mounted upon a clock and rotated by its winding-arbor, and the latter constructed with circumferential pockets and loaded, as described, the-strip being arranged to be perforated or marked at a point in its progress between the drums and between the division-lines of the strip corresponding to the times registered by two or more points, each carried by a separate or independent electro-magnet having independent circuits, in the maner set forth.

3. The combination of an electro-magnet and its armature, carrying a puncturing device, with a time-movement carrying a strip ot' paper provided'with lines or marks graduated.to correspond to the time-movement of the clock, as divided into hours or fractions of an hour, or both, the time-movement Q, havin g lever R, lever X, and circuit-closer U, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

4. The combination of time-movement Q, lever It, lever X, and circuit-closer U, substantially as set forth.

5. The tension-drum F, provided with circumferential pockets, and loaded and operating in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a registering-clock carrying a strip of 9o paper or ribbon provided with divisional lines corresponding to the time-movement of the clock, the combination of an electro-magnet and its armature, carrying a puncturing device and having its circuit broken at one or more points by a key or keys which can be operated only at stated intervals of time to close the circuit, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature roo in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. KETTELL.

litnesses J oHN C. Orts,

J onu C. K. O'rrs. 

